All About Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin was born on 12th February 1809, at his family home in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. He was born in a wealthy family and was the fifth among six children in his family. Charles Darwin biography states that when he was eight years old, he started attending the nearby Shrewsbury school. Due to his peak interest in medical science and attending as an apprentice doctor, he helped his father treat the poor people of Shropshire. He then attended the University of Edinburgh Medical school, which was considered one of the finest medical schools in the UK at that time. He was then enrolled in Christ College at Cambridge to study for a bachelor of arts degree. Let’s learn more about the different adventures and theories of Charles Darwin.

HMS Beagle Voyage

Five years of extreme hardship and mental pressure, offset by the Brazilian jungles and the Andes Mountains, gave Darwin genuine seriousness. He spent 18 months aboard the ship and discovered many places. Darwin hoped to see many new and different creatures. On the Cape Verde islands, he saw oyster shells, and at Salvador, in Brazil, the ethereal beauty of the rainforests left Darwin stunned. He then spent several months in Rio de Janeiro.

He then went to River Plate and founded Montevideo in Uruguay, a state undergoing rebellion. He joined the armed soldiers in retaking the fort held by the rebels. At Bahia Blanca in Argentina, he was known for exterminating the pampas Indians and met with  General Juan Manuel De Rosas to stop brutality against the natives. He was disturbed seeing the treatment of the natives. He then went to places like Tierra del Fuego and to the south of Port St Julian. He found bones of extinct mammals mastodons, rhinoceroses, and some cow-sized armadillos. He found a horse-sized mammal remains and rode near the Uruguay river, finding fossil remains.

He later went to the Falkland Islands to the port desired located in Puerto Deseado in Argentina, and later, the ship sailed west to the region of Valparaiso in South America in Chile. He saw the Volcano Mount Osorno erupt and then went to Valdivia in Chile.  He then went to the Galapagos Islands, which were mentioned as “frying hot” as they comprised volcanic prison islands. A host of creatures such as iguanas and mockingbirds had evolved differently on all four islands. Darwin then returned via Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia route, and at Cape of Good Hope, Darwin met Astronomer Sir John Herschel about the evolution of creatures. He completed a 770-page diary about his adventures on the HMS Beagle at the end of the Voyage.

Charles Darwin Theory of Evolution

Darwin’s theory of evolution is based upon five key observations and parallels drawn from them. The key observations are as follows;

• The species have great fertility power, and they can make offsprings that eventually grow into the stage of adulthood
• Populations are of the same size, with normal or absolute minimal fluctuations
• Food resource is limited according to the population, but it remains constant most of the time
• There is variation among the two sexually reproducing species
• The variation in the species is a part of heritage.

 Darwin stated that each individual must struggle for survival, and those who had the abilities to survive would pass the same abilities to their offspring, which are eventually inherited by the subsequent generations. This thesis was termed natural selection or Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. It further stated that natural selection, if carried on for a long period, can make changes to the population and lead to the evolution of new species. 

Let’s summarise Darwin’s Theory of Evolution:

• Variation: There is a subtle variation in the population
• Competition: The organisms or species compete with each other to survive and use the limited resources available
• Offspring: Species can produce more offspring and give them the ability to survive in this world
• Genetics: Some genetic traits of the species are passed to their  offspring 
• Natural Selection: These species have the most special characteristics and can survive and reproduce.

Charles Darwin facts stated that probably all beings living on earth are the descendants of someone of primordial life form from ancient times, where DNA evidence supports the theory. Charles Darwin mentioned this theory in the book the origin of species. He died on 19 April 1882 but left behind a legacy of his works and theories.

 Conclusion

In this blog, we learned about the life of Charles Darwin, his HMS Beagle Voyage, and his theory of evolution, all under Charles Darwin facts. Still, some doubts may prevail and to clear all those concepts, here is a dedicated FAQ section to solve all queries.